meanwhile it's still a long road ahead in newtown. sandy hook elementary remains a crime scene at this hour and students won't be returning to class at all until january. when they do return, they will be at a former middle school in the town of monroe, about eight miles away at least temporarily. most of the other schools in the district have since reopened with increased police presence and grief counselors on hand. nbc's anne thompson has more. >> reporter: the reopening of newtown schools, an act of faith and resolve. >> whether you wait a day or a month, whatever, there's no -- there's no rule book. >> reporter: determination quickly tested as a threat to one elementary school forced it into lockdown before students even arrived. the site of the massacre, sandy hook elementary, remained closed. moving vans carrying furniture and equipment left under a police escort headed for the school's new building in neighboring monroe. at newtown's catholic church, two funerals, james mattioli. his favorite classes were math and recess. 6-ye